Lawyers seek to delay Sharif trial

Mr. Sharif and the other accused arrived at the court in a convoy
of six armoured vehicles at 8:15 a.m., heavily guarded by
paramilitary troops. But minutes after the case opened, the
defence lawyer asked the judge to halt the hearing until
petitions against the military coup have been heard at the
Supreme Court in Islamabad.

``This case cannot proceed and it should not proceed until the
judgment of the case that is going to begin at the Supreme
Court,'' the defence lawyer argued.

The judge, Mr. Rehmat Hussain Jafri, adjourned the hearing for 30
minutes to give the prosecution time to respond.